Long before Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon became one of the most successful musical duos of the 1960s, they were two sixth-graders appearing in a school production of Alice in Wonderland in Queens, New York.
Garfunkel played the Cheshire Cat, while Simon portrayed the White Rabbit. Neither could have known that their friendship would eventually produce hits including “The Sound of Silence,” “Mrs. Robinson” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”
Now, more than seven decades after that elementary school production, Garfunkel is celebrating another milestone. The eight-time Grammy winner turns 85 on Thursday, Nov. 5.
Art Garfunkel Met Paul Simon in Sixth Grade
Born Arthur Ira Garfunkel on Nov. 5, 1941, in Forest Hills, Queens, the future singer developed an interest in music at an early age. His father gave him a recording device, which he used to record his own singing and listen for ways to improve.
But one of the most consequential moments of his childhood came when he and Simon were cast in their elementary school’s production of Alice in Wonderland.
In a 2017 interview with The Boston Globe, Garfunkel recalled how the two boys bonded while rehearsing their roles as the Cheshire Cat and White Rabbit.
“We discovered each other’s sense of humor, and giggled all through,” he said.
The friendship soon developed into a musical partnership. Inspired by the Everly Brothers, the teenagers began performing together and eventually adopted the name Tom & Jerry. In 1957, their single “Hey, Schoolgirl” reached No. 49 on the Billboard pop chart, giving them their first taste of commercial success.
From a Failed Album to Some of the Biggest Hits of the 1960s
The duo eventually reunited under their own names, Simon & Garfunkel and released their debut album Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. in 1964. Initially, the record failed to attract much attention, and the two went their separate ways.
Everything changed in 1965 when producer Tom Wilson added electric instrumentation to their acoustic recording of “The Sound of Silence.” The reworked single became a No. 1 hit, bringing Simon and Garfunkel back together.
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Over the next several years, they released a remarkable string of successful albums, including Sounds of Silence, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, Bookends and Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Their songs became fixtures of the era, with “Mrs. Robinson” featured in the 1967 film The Graduate and “Bridge Over Troubled Water” showcasing Garfunkel’s soaring tenor voice.
Although the partnership ended in 1970, the two occasionally reunited, including for their massive 1981 concert in New York City’s Central Park. Simon & Garfunkel were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
Art Garfunkel’s Life Beyond Simon & Garfunkel
Garfunkel also established a successful solo career, recording hits including “All I Know,” “I Only Have Eyes for You” and “Bright Eyes.” He pursued acting as well, appearing in Mike Nichols’ films Catch-22 and Carnal Knowledge, the latter earning him a Golden Globe nomination.
His interests extended far beyond entertainment. Garfunkel earned degrees from Columbia University, studied mathematics education and even spent time teaching high school geometry. An enthusiastic long-distance walker, he completed a journey across the United States in stages between 1983 and 1997.
In recent years, Garfunkel has also shared his musical talents with another family member. In November 2024, he and his son Art Garfunkel Jr. released Father and Son, an album featuring their interpretations of songs including “Blackbird,” “Blue Moon” and “Old Friends.”
The project brought Garfunkel’s career full circle, connecting the music of his youth with a new generation of his family.
Seventy-three years after two schoolboys met onstage in Queens, Garfunkel’s extraordinary musical journey remains one of the enduring stories of American popular music.
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